Last Wednesday morning, as soon as I woke up, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my right gum, as if it had been pierced by a needle. It wasn’t the usual kind of soreness; it was a throbbing pain that came in waves, causing half of my face to go numb. When I looked in the mirror, I saw that my gum was swollen, and even the slightest touch sent a piercing pain through my teeth. I knew immediately that it was an infected tooth root.
At that point, I couldn’t even eat breakfast, and even drinking water made me wince in pain.
Painkillers didn’t work
My first reaction was to look for painkillers. I found some ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet and took two tablets. At first, it seemed to help a little, and the pain eased slightly. But within half an hour, the pain returned, even worse than before.
Once the effect wore off, it felt like someone was hitting my tooth root with a hammer. I tried three times the recommended dose, but it still didn’t work. The doctor said I shouldn’t take too much, so I had no choice but to endure the pain.
I tried cloves, but it made it worse
I saw online that cloves can relieve toothache. I had a few dried cloves in my kitchen, so I decided to give it a try. I placed one next to the painful tooth and gently crushed it.
The taste was too strong, like chewing tree bark, bitter and numbing. Not only did it not stop the pain, but it made my entire mouth feel uncomfortable. Some people said to use clove oil, but I was afraid it would be too stimulating, so I didn’t dare to try it.
This method didn’t work for me at all.
Salt water mouthwash only cleans the surface
I also tried rinsing my mouth with salt water. I poured a cup of warm water, added a tablespoon of salt, stirred it well, and held it in my mouth for a few minutes. When I spit it out, I could see some dirt.
My mouth did feel a little cleaner, but the pain deep in my tooth roots didn’t subside at all. It was like rubbing alcohol on a wound while it was still inflamed. This method can only help, it can’t cure the root cause.
After two days of pain, I couldn’t take it anymore
On Thursday, I couldn’t concentrate on my work all day. My face started to swell, and I couldn’t speak properly. I could only drink cold water and couldn’t even touch anything hot. I looked up a dentist appointment, but the earliest I could get was next week.
I didn’t want to wait that long, afraid that the infection would get worse. So I continued to search online for any temporary relief methods.
I saw someone say that garlic works
I saw someone share this on a foreign forum: Apply raw garlic to the gums to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Many people said that it acts as a natural antibiotic and can fight bacterial infections.
At first, I didn’t believe it. Garlic is just a seasoning, right? But I had no other options, so I decided to give it a try.
How to use garlic to treat toothache?
This is what I did:
- Pick a plump clove of garlic and peel it.
- Crush it with the back of a knife to make it easier to extract the juice.
- Squeeze the garlic paste with your fingers and apply it directly to the swollen gums.
- Press it with your cheek to keep it from falling off.
When I first applied it, it felt like I had been burned. My eyes started to water.
The burning sensation was intense, but it really worked
I held it there for 10 minutes before taking it off. My mouth was filled with the smell of garlic, and no amount of rinsing could get rid of it. I didn’t dare open my mouth to speak, afraid of offending others.
But amazingly, after half an hour, the toothache started to subside. It wasn’t completely gone, but the throbbing pain had decreased. By evening, my face wasn’t as swollen either.
Use it every few hours
On Friday, I used garlic every 2-3 hours. Each time, I followed the same process: crush it, apply it, and endure the spiciness. Although it was painful each time, the pain would ease for a few hours after each application.
I endured this all day long, and finally I was able to eat some warm porridge and didn’t have to survive on water alone.
Why does garlic work?
Later, I looked it up and found that garlic contains a substance called “allicin.” This substance has strong antibacterial properties and can kill harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Toothaches are often caused by bacterial infections, and allicin is effective against them.Although it cannot cure the problem, it can control the infection and prevent it from spreading.
The advantages are obvious
There are several advantages to using garlic to treat toothache:
- It is completely natural and contains no chemical additives.
- Every household has it, so you don’t have to spend money to buy it.
- It quickly relieves pain and swelling.
- You don’t have to take medicine, which reduces the burden on your body.
For me, it works much better than cloves and salt water.
There are also some disadvantages
Of course, this method also has its drawbacks:
- The taste is too strong, and your mouth will smell like garlic
- It’s very spicy when applied, which not everyone can tolerate
- It doesn’t cure the problem completely, so you still need to see a dentist
- You can’t see people right after eating it because it will stink
If you have a date or need to go to work, it’s best not to use it.
It’s not a substitute for seeing a doctor
I used garlic for two days, and the symptoms eased, but the tooth problem persisted. I made an appointment with the dentist on Friday evening. After examining me, the dentist said that the tooth root was inflamed and needed root canal treatment.
Garlic only helped me get through until I could see the dentist; it’s not a permanent solution.
Advice for those with toothache
If you suddenly have a toothache, you can try the following:
- First, apply garlic to the affected area and hold it there for 10 minutes.
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to keep it clean.
- Avoid eating foods that are too cold or too hot.
- Make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible and don’t delay.
Garlic is not a medicine, but it can help relieve the pain temporarily.
Final summary
Using raw garlic to treat toothache may sound like an old-fashioned remedy, but it really works.
It doesn’t cure the problem, but it can kill bacteria, reduce swelling, and relieve pain.
The key is to use it consistently and for the right amount of time.
Although it smells bad and can cause a burning sensation, it’s better than being in so much pain that you can’t sleep.
Next time you have a toothache, why not try grabbing a clove of garlic from the kitchen? It might work better than taking medicine.
